Box or receptacle



Jan. 11, 1938. w. F. BEST ET AL BOX on RECEPTACLE' Filed Jan. 14, 1935 INVENTOR. Vl l/spn 7 Bear Wz/lpam Kramer ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 11 1938 aioarzo PATENT OFFICE BOX R RECEPTAOLE Wilson F. Best and William Kremer, Grand Rapids, Micln, assignors to Grand Rapids Sampie Case Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application January 14, 1935, Serial No. 1,728

13 Claims.

The main objects of this invention are: First, to provide an improved box or receptacle which is especially well adapted for repeated use in the delivery of groceries, fruit and the like,

- Third, to provide a receptacle of the foregoing character with handle connections acting to reinforce the ends of the receptacle.

15 Objects relating to details and economies of our invention will, appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment 20 of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a box embodying features'of our invention, one handle being in stacking position and the other collapsed. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary'perspective view, a portion of the corner bracket being broken away to expose the juncture of the side and end rim pieces.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken 0 on a line corresponding to line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a corner bracket in the Fig. 5 is a fragmentarytransverse sectional view of a plurality of the receptacles arranged as in stacked formation.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a stacking bail.

Referring to the drawing, I is a box or receptacle comprising a bottom, 2 and upwardly and 40 outwardly inclined side and end walls 3 and 4, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment of our invention, the walls of the receptacle are preferably formed of fiber or fiberboard which is light in weight and quite suitable even where the 45 receptacle is designed for heavy delivery use or shop use.

The bottom of the receptacle is reinforced by spaced slats 5 preferably of wood which are arranged longitudinally of the receptacle and the 50 ends beveled to provide slides or runners so that the receptacle may be drawn or slid over a flat supporting surface and these receive the wear rather than the bottom of the receptacle.

The rim side and end pieces 6 and 8 are dis- 55 posed on the outer sides of the walls and fixedly secured thereto preferably by rivets l. The upper edges of the side and end pieces are preferably flush with the edges of the walls. The end rim pieces are recessed on their upper edges at 9.

We provide corner irons or brackets Ii, pref- 5 erably sheet metal stampings, these brackets being angled so that one arm or wing of each bracket is secured to a side rim piece while the other is secured to the end rim piece.

The arms secured to the end rim pieces are of 10 inverted U-shape to embrace the end rim pieces, the bight portions III of these U-shaped arms forming bearing elements, the loop-like portions [2 of the bights being struck inwardly to complement the bight portions Ill providing complete metal bearing surfaces for the pintles or pivot arms of the bails, as will be described later. These bearings lie within the recesses so that the upper edges of the corner brackets are substantially flush with the upper edges of the rim pieces. Both leaves of the U-shaped arm are riveted to the end rim pieces 8 by means of rivets l5 while the arms lapping the side rim pieces are riveted thereto by means of rivets IT.

The end walls are preferably provided with corner. flaps I6 lapped upon and riveted to the side walls, although it will be understood that the side walls may be provided with these flaps and the same lapped upon and riveted to the end walls. This provides a vertical reinforcement for the'corners as well as a means for securing the walls together.

The rim pieces are preferably of thin strips of wood and being secured throughout to the side walls constitute stiffening and reinforcing mem- I bers therefor. The corner irons constitute very effective braces and reinforcing means so that even when the walls are made of comparatively light material,'such as fiberboard, the receptacle is very rigid. 40

To further increase the strength and rigidity of the parts, we loop sheet metal end plates l8 over the end walls and rim pieces and secure the oppcsite sides l9 and 20 thereof by through rivets 2|. The outer portions of the end plates are provided with slots 23 parallel to the top thereof and handles 24 are arranged to project through the slots with their ends secured between the end pieces and the end plates at the ends of the slots. These handles provide convenient loops for the reception of hooks to pull or otherwise manipulate the receptacles.

The receptacle is provided with stacking balls 25 having lateral arms 26 terminating in intumed pintles 21 disposed in the bearings of the corner brackets, the arms of the balls being spaced from the side rim pieces 8 to permit the balls to be swung over the end rim pieces 8. The bails are preferably formed of metal in the form of roimd stock for 'coaction with the end bearings in the corner brackets, the latter being preferably formed as sheet metal stampings.

The stacking bails are downwardly oil'set at 28 relative to the rim of the receptacle when resting on the same for supporting a similar receptacle in stacked relation, as shown by Fig 5. For nesting the receptacles together when empty, the stacking balls are swung to a collapsed position adiac'ent the end walls thereof.

Each of the corner brackets l I is provided with an integral bottom flange 29 engaged under the side and end pieces at the corner iun'ctures thereof to reinforce the assembly. Thus, we provide,

a receptacle which is light in weight, yet strong and rugged in construction and well adapted to withstand the hard use to which it is subjected in service. Although relatively light and inexpensive material is used throughout, the assembly is such that the strength of the material is utilized to the best advantage.

We have illustrated and described our improvements in an embodiment which we have found very practical. We have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt our improvements as may be desired.

Although we have shown and described a 'certain specific embodiment of our invention, we are fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. Our invention is therefore not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A receptacle comprising a bottom and side and end walls of fiberboard, opposed walls having corner flaps lapped upon the other opposed walls and riveted thereto, side and end rim pieces disposed on the outer sides of said side and end walls and riveted thereto with the end pieces overlapping the ends of the side rim pieces, the end rim pieces having end recesses on their upper edges, angled corner brackets secured to said side and end rim pieces at the juncture, the end piece engaging arms of said comer brackets being of downwardly facing U-shape and embracing said end pieces, portions of the bights of said end piece I arms of said brackets being struck inwardly and coacting with the bights thereof in providing bearings disposed in said comer recesses of said end pieces, and stacking bails provided with inturned pintles engaging said bearings of said corner brackets and swingable therein to collapse at the sides of the end walls or to swing to erected position with their cross members resting upon the upper edges of the side walls.

2. A receptacle comprising a bottom and side and end walls, side and end rim pieces disposed on the outer sides of said side and end walls and secured thereto, the end rim pieces having end recesses on their upper edges, angled corner brackets secured to said side and end rim pieces at the juncture thereof, the end piece engaging arms of said corner brackets being of downwardly facing U-shape and embracing said end pieces, portions of the bights of said end piece arms of said brackets being struck inwardly and coacting with the bights thereof in providing bearings disposed in said corner recesses of said end pieces, and stacking bails provided with inturned pintles engaging said bearings of said corner brackets and swingable therein to collapse at the sides of the end walls or to swing to erected position with their cross members resting upon the upper edges of the side walls.

3. A receptacle comprising a bottom and side and end walls, side and end rim pieces disposed on the outer sides of said side andend walls and secured thereto, the end rim pieces having end recesses on their upper edges, angled corner brackets secured to said side and end rim pieces at the juncture thereof and having inturned por- "\tions engaging the bottom edges of said side and end pieces, the end piece engaging arms of said corner brackets being of downwardly facing U- shape and embracing said end pieces, portions of the bights of said end piece arms of said brackets being struck inwardly and coacting with the bights thereof in providing bearings disposed in said corner recesses of said end pieces, and stacking bails provided with inturned pintles engaging said bearings of said corner brackets and swingable therein to collapse at the sides of the end walls or to swing to erected position with their cross members resting upon the upper edges of the side walls.

4. A receptacle comprising a bottom and side and end walls of fiberboard, opposed walls having corner flaps lapped upon the other opposed walls and riveted thereto, side and end rim pieces disposed on the outer sides of said side and end walls and riveted thereto with the end pieces overlapping the ends of the side rim pieces, angled corner brackets secured to said side and end rim pieces at the juncture thereof and having inturned portions engaging the bottom edges of said side and end pieces, the end piece engaging arms of said corner brackets being of inverted U-shape and embracing said end pieces, the bights of said end piece arms of said brackets constituting bearings disposed at the upper edges of said end pieces, and stacking bails provided with inturned pintles engaging said bearings of said comer brackets and swingable therein to collapse at the sides of the end walls or to swing to erected position with their cross members resting upon the upper edges of the side walls.

5. A receptacle comprising a bottom and side and end walls, side and end rim pieces disposed on the outer sides of said side and end walls and secured thereto, angled comer brackets secured to said side and end rim pieces at the juncture thereof, the end piece engaging arms of said corner bracket being of inverted U-shape and embracing said end pieces, the bights of said end piece arms of said brackets constituting bear ings disposed at the upper edges of said end pieces, and stacking bails provided with inturned pintles engaging said bearings of said corner brackets and swingable therein to collapse at the sides of the end walls or to swing to erected position with their cross members resting uponthe upper edges of the side walls.

6. A receptacle comprising a bottom and up-.

' the arms of the bails being spaced from said side rim pieces to permit the balls to be swung over the end rim pieces, the cross members of the bails being downwardly oilset relative to the rim of the receptacle when resting on the same.

7. A receptacle comprising-a bottom and side and end walls, the end walls having top recesses extending inwardly from their ends, angled corner brackets looped over said top recesses and having downwardly offset oppositely looped portions providing end bearings, the opposite sides of said corner brackets overlapping said end walls and being secured together therethrough, the corner brackets overlapping and being secured to. said side walls, and stacking bails having end arms terminating in inturned pintles disposed in said end bearings in said corner brackets, the

' arms of the bails being spaced from said side walls to permit the bails to be swung over the receptacle at its ends, the cross members of the bails being downwardly oilset relative to the rim of the receptacle when resting on the same.

8. A receptacle comprising a bottom and side and end walls, angled corner brackets looped over said end walls and having downwardly oflset oppositely looped portions providing end bearings, the opposite sides of said corner brackets overlapping said end walls and being secured together therethrough, the corner brackets overlapping and being secured to said side walls, and balls having endarms terminating in inturned pintles disposed in said end bearings in said corner brackets, the arms of the balls being spaced from said side walls to permit the balls to be swung over the receptacle at its ends.

9. A receptacle comprising a bottom and side and end walls, angled corner brackets looped over said end walls and having downwardly offset oppositely looped portions providing end bearings,

the opposite sides of said corner brackets overlapping said end walls and being secured together therethrough, the corner brackets overlapping and being secured to said side walls, and balls formed of round stock and having end arms terminating in inturnedpintles disposed in said V end bearings in said corner brackets.

10. A receptacle comprising a bottom and side and end walls, angled corner brackets having oppositely looped portions providing end bearings, the corner brackets overlapping and being secured to said walls, said brackets being looped over said end walls, and bails having end arms terminating in inturned pintles disposed in said and bearings in said corner brackets.

11. A receptacle comprising side and end walls and side and end rim pieces secured to said side and end walls, angled comer irons connecting said side and end rim pieces, the arms of said comer irons secured to said end rim pieces being provided with pintle bearings at the ends of the receptacle, said end pieces having recesses to receive said bearings, and stacking bails provided with inturned pintles engaging said bear- "ings of said comer irons and swingable therein to collapse at the sides of the end walls or to swing to erected position with their cross members resting upon the upper edges of the side walls.

12. A receptacle comprising a better 1, side and ends, the ends having top recesses at the corners, angled corner brackets having bearings disposed in said recesses, and stacking bails provided with inturned pintles engaging said bearings, said stacking bails being swingable therein to collapse at the ends 01' the receptacle or to swing to erected position with their cross members resting upon the upper edges of the sides of the receptacle.

13. A receptacle comprisingslde and end walls and side and end rim pieces disposed upon the outer sides of the side and end walls, angled corner brackets secured to said side and end rim pieces, the end piece engaging arms of said cor- Iner brackets having bearings disposed at the upper edges of the end rim pieces, said end pieces being recessed to receive said bearings, and stacking bails provided with inturned pintles engaging said bearings or said comer brackets and swingable therein to collapse at the sides of the end walls or to swing to erected position with their cross members resting upon the upper edges of the side walls.

WILSON F. BEST. WILLIAM KREMER. 

